[JemHadar]

DUNE part one

Is it the masterpiece that will put Denis Villeneuve in the Pantheon of all time greats?

The short answer reads like: “We will know if ever he gets to make DUNE part two”.

A decision was made to tell the story of the novel using two movies (some even speculate about a three movie Paul Atreides saga, adding DUNE Messiah).

On the one hand this was a sound decision as the source material is so dense one movie could hardly do it justice. On the other hand, box office success or failure will render a brutal verdict whether or not we ever get to see part two. This sword of Damocles definitely does not help the movie.

But what is part one all about. Some call it Star Wars for adults others a big budget art-house movie. One thing is for sure, DUNE has Denis Villeneuve’s distinct signature style of filmmaking all over it, perfected to a tee. This is a blessing. I know and love Frank Herbert’s work dearly and it shows that Denis Villeneuve does to.

The movie is a master class in world building and visual story telling. Pivotal moments of the book are presented in rather stylised, almost distilled scenes. Save for the battle sequences, the pace is slow but deliberate. You just feel it; the impending doom of House Atreides is unavoidable. “The slow blade penetrates the shield”.

This movie achieves what many other genre features fail to do, invite you to immerse yourself in the DUNE universe, not by bombarding you with an avalanche of CGI wizardry but by making the images tell the story. “Less is more” is used as a cinematic tool to captivate the audience.

My better half, my very own beloved Bene Gesserit Witch, who was unfamiliar with the story, absolutely loved the movie, the performance by the superb cast, the incredible score by Hans Zimmer, the intrigue, the world building.

Although the director and writers have taken some creative liberties, these only help to bring home the richness of this DUNE tale. Key protagonists and antagonists may have little screen time, but they make every second count and convey a gravitas that does the story justice. I am confident some scenes will send chills down your spine and unearth emotions like when meeting a long lost but dear friend.

DUNE part one is a magnificent achievement but it will never be complete without part two.

So go see the movie, make part two happen.

PS...Oh yes, they got the Ornithopters right, they are almost characters in their own right.